Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum.) is a popular Amazonian fruit because of its intense aroma and nutritional value, whose lipid fraction is alternatively used in cosmetics. To preserve active principles and ensure their controlled release, extract was microencapsulated by spray drying. Influence of spray-drying conditions on microencapsulation of cupuassu seed by-product extract was investigated according to a 3-Box Behnken factorial design, selecting inlet temperature, maltodextrin concentration and feed flowrate as independent variables, and total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, antiradical power, yields of drying and microencapsulation as responses. Fitting the results by second-order equations and modelling by Response Surface Methodology allowed predicting optimum conditions. Epicatechin and glycosylated quercetin were the major microencapsulated flavonoids. Microparticles showed satisfactory antiradical power and stability at 5 °C or under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, thus they may be used to formulate new foods or pharmaceuticals.

Processing of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans responsible for agricultural exports leads to large amounts of solid waste that were discarded, however, this one presents high contents of metabolites with biological activities. The major objective of this study was to valorise cocoa agroindustrial residue obtained by hydraulic pressing for extract rich in antioxidants. For it, the centesimal composition of residue was investigated, the green extraction was carried out from the residue after, the bioactive compounds, sugar contents and screaming by HPTLC were quantified for extract. The extract has a total polyphenol content of 229.64 mg/g and high antioxidant activity according to ABTS 225.0 μM/g. HTPLC analysis confirmed the presence in the extract, residue of terpenes, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. These results, as a whole, suggest that the extract from the cocoa residue has interesting characteristics to alternative crops with potential industrial uses.

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The cocoa extract (Theobroma cacao L.) has a significant amount of polyphenols (TP) with potent antioxidant activity (AA). This study aims to optimise microencapsulation of the extract of cocoa waste using chitosan and maltodextrin. Microencapsulation tests were performed according to a Box-Behnken factorial design, and the results were evaluated by response surface methodology with temperature, maltodextrin concentration (MD) and extract flowrate (EF) as independent variables, and the fraction of encapsulated TP, TP encapsulation yield, AA, yield of drying and solubility index as responses. The optimum conditions were: inlet temperature of 170 °C, MD of 5% and EF of 2.5 mL/min. HPLC analysis identified epicatechin as the major component of both the extract and microparticles. TP release was faster at pH 3.5 than in water. These results as a whole suggest that microencapsulation was successful and the final product can be used as a nutrient source for aquatic animal feed. Highlights Microencapsulation is optimised according to a factorial design of the Box-Behnken type. Epicatechin is the major component of both the extract and microcapsules. The release of polyphenols from microcapsules is faster at pH 3.5 than in water.

This study evaluated a modified nanostructured release system employing diclofenac as a drug model. Biodegradable chitosan nanoparticles were prepared with chitosan concentrations between 0.5 and 0.8% (w/v) by template polymerization method using methacrylic acid in aqueous solution. Chitosanpoly(methacrylic acid) (CS-PMAA) nanoparticles showed uniform size around 50-100 nm, homogeneous morphology, and spherical shape. Raw material and chitosan nanoparticles were characterized by thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confirming the interaction between chitosan and methacrylic acid during nanoparticles preparation. Diclofenac sorption on the chitosan nanoparticles surface was achieved by incubation in water/ethanol (1:1) drug solution in concentrations of 0.5 and 0.8 mg/mL. The diclofenac amount sorbed per gram of CS-PMAA nanoparticles, when in a 0.5 mg/mL sodium diclofenac solution, was as follows: 12.93, 15, 20.87, and 29.63 mg/g for CS-PMAA nanoparticles 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8% (w/v), respectively. When a 0.8 mg/mL sodium diclofenac solution was used, higher sorption efficiencies were obtained: For CS-PMAA nanoparticles with chitosan concentrations of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8% (w/v), the sorption efficiencies were 33.39, 49.58, 55.23, and 67.2 mg/g, respectively. Diclofenac sorption kinetics followed a second-order kinetics. Drug release from nanoparticles occurred in a period of up to 48 h and obeyed Korsmeyer-Peppas model, which was characterized mainly by Fickian diffusion transport.

No abstract

To better understand the biological properties of cupuassu seed residue resulting from fruit industrial processing, its antioxidant activity was determined by both the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) assays. Molecular modeling was used to correlate the antiradical power of eleven known cupuassu phenolic compounds with their structures. The extract antioxidant activity by both methods was very high compared with those of similar residues. The properties of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals indicate that the most energetically stable compounds possess the highest antioxidant activity. This was confirmed through the molecular electrostatic potential map by the nucleophilic surfaces on the oxygen atoms of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups.

A prática magistral consiste na manipulação e produção de substâncias farmacêuticas para facilitar o tratamento conforme necessidade do paciente. Para efetividade no tratamento veterinário necessitam de adaptações, cujo mercado ainda é pouco explorado pelo farmacêutico. Nesse sentido, este estudo teve como objetivo analisar o perfil de prescrições veterinárias de uma farmácia de manipulação em Belém-PA, no período de abril a maio de 2021. Para tal, foi realizada por meio de uma pesquisa básica, explicativa, retrospectiva de análise documental observacional, uma análise quantitativa, na qual foram coletados receituários com fórmulas magistrais de prescrições veterinárias restritas a animais de criação doméstica (cães e gatos), onde foram avaliadas a prevalência dos tipos de formas farmacêuticas, fármacos e suas classes farmacológicas e erros de prescrição. Conforme o cálculo de amostragem, o número de receituários analisados foram de 288, destes 83,33% eram destinados a cães e 16,67% a gatos. Foi possível definir que o perfil das prescrições se caracterizou-se como receituários simples (77,50%), legíveis (97,56%), digitalizados (65,0%), com ausência de rasuras ou emendas (98,33% e 97,29%), 96,18% são prescritas por médicos veterinários, seguindo os critérios estabelecidos nas normativas vigentes. Não foram encontrados receituários margem tóxica, com interação medicamentosa ou que não tivesse aplicabilidade para pet. Portanto, observou-se prescrições em maioria destinadas a cães, legíveis, com prescritor habilitado e farmacoterapia sem controle especial dentro dos protocolos estabelecidos pela legislação. Ressalta-se que este mercado é vasto e promissor, podendo o farmacêutico atuar conduzindo a promoção da saúde através da atenção farmacêutica.